Kerala’s Sabarimala Temple opens for 'Uthram’ festival amid row over Kerala CM’s stand on women’s entry

Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala’s Sabarimala Temple opened for the 'Uthram festival' on Friday morning. The temple will remain open for devotees till March 28. COVID19 negative certificate is mandatory for devotees visiting the famous temple

With this, the issue of women’s entry into the popular Hindu shrine is back in the limelight in Kerala, as both the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) and BJP-led National Democratic Front (NDA) are using it as a major poll plank in the assembly election campaign.

On Thursday, when Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said the state government will take a decision after consulting with all believers once the final verdict on Sabarimala comes, both Congress and BJP mounted pressure on the Left to clarify if they would submit a new affidavit in Supreme Court on Sabarimala.

Kerala: Sabarimala Temple opened for the 'Uthram festival' today morning. The temple will be open for devotees till 28th March. COVID19 negative certificate is mandatory for devotees visiting the temple pic.twitter.com/OwVO603VPm — ANI (@ANI) March 19, 2021

BJP candidate Shobha Surendran, who is facing Kerala Devasom Minister Kadakampally Surendran under whom Sabarimala also comes, started her poll campaign on Thursday after visiting an Ayyappa temple amid slogans of party workers shouting ‘Swamiye Sharanam Ayyappa’, a chant usually used by devotees when climbing the hill shrine.

Speaking to reporters, she said that it may be her `destiny` to face him in assembly polls and that she is sure the voters would give a befitting reply to the Devasom Minister.

"The Left government was trying purposefully to violate the rituals in Sabarimala and send in activists. The believers will definitely react against this and defeat Kadakampally Surendran. The NDA will win Kazhakootam with a thumping majority," she said.

Congress leadership including both Oommen Chandy and Ramesh Chennithala also reacted sharply against Vijayan`s remarks on Sabarimala.

Chandy referring to Kadakampally`s statement that he regretted the incidents that happened in 2018 in Sabarimala, said, "If there is sincerity in Devaswom Minister Kadakampally Surendran`s regret, the affidavit submitted by the Left government to the Supreme Court should be withdrawn immediately."

Chennithala said that Vijayan should publicly accept the mistake and should apologise to devotees.

Meanwhile, Union Minister of State for External Affairs V Muraleedharan reacting to the CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury remark that the party stands by its policy on Sabarimala and demanded Vijayan should clarify.

"The CPI(M) general secretary said the party stand by the decision and policy taken by them earlier. Now, it is Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan who should clarify what is the stand of the CPI(M) politburo regarding the entry of women to Sabarimala. Kerala Devasom Minister said that he is deeply pained against the atrocities committed to devotees and even apologised. The Kerala Chief Minister should clarify what is the stand of the party as he and Yechury are members of the highest decision making body in CPI(M)," he said.

CPI Kerala secretary Kanam Rajendran defending the Left government said that the incidents in 2018 were the fallout of the Supreme Court verdict.

"Everyone is bound to respect the rule of law in the country. Now, the case is in the Supreme Court larger Bench there are seven questions of law which the nine-judge Bench will be deciding. Presently, there are no issues in Sabarimala and problems are there only in certain people`s minds. Let the verdict come out," he said.

The election for 140-member Kerala Assembly will be held on April 6. The counting of votes will take place on May 2.